AS dusk fell at Beachley Barracks, the sound of the bugle rang out to mark the end of another important duty for county soldiers.

In the last six months, 1 Rifles has been on standby, ready to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment's notice.

Although they were not called upon, the sounding retreat ceremony on Tuesday evening, performed by The Band and Bugles of The Rifles, marked the end of that standby period.

A crowd of about 100 people turned out for the annual spectacle, which brings families and friends of the battalion together.

The next challenge for 1 Rifles, based near Chepstow, is expected to be Afghanistan because its last deployment there was in 2008/09. A battalion is normally deployed again after three years, but it has to be officially announced in the House of Commons.

Soldiers at Tuesday's ceremony said they were prepared to return to Afghanistan.

Captain Jamie Edwards, 27, who lives in Cheltenham, said: "I felt we were making real progress by the time we left last time. I'm looking forward to going back to see what has changed."

In their last tour, during which eight men from the battle group lost their lives, the battalion's job was to mentor the Afghan national army.

Captain Edwards added: "Now I think everyone monitors them indirectly or directly."

Major Ben Salt returned from the country two months ago. The 32-year-old, who lives in Cheltenham, had been working with the US 82nd Airborne Division, just outside Kabul, as part of a two-year detachment.

He said: "It was really interesting to see how the Americans worked.

"Going out again I'm glad to be part of a battalion and it's a good bunch of lads. The camaraderie makes it worthwhile. Once you're part of it you don't want to let anyone down and you want to make sure they come home."

Captain Chris Maitland, who is based at Beachley Barracks, is attached to 1 Rifles from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

The 29-year-old's role in a future tour is to be in charge of maintaining equipment – from vehicles to weapons.

He said vehicles were particularly important.

"If we're not able to move around in vehicles, we have no way of getting stores forward or any casualties back," he said.

Rifleman Jonathan Leach, from Coney Hill, Gloucester, took his place in the ceremony as a bugler. The 24-year-old former Churchdown School pupil has been a member of The Band and Bugles of The Rifles for four years.

He said: "We travel around and do the ceremony for all five battalions of the Rifles."

Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Sir Henry Elwes, was a leading dignitary at the ceremony